Swimming is one workout I would do probably almost daily except for one problem...I don't know how to swim! I'd like to burn a buttload of calories with swimming but until I get the opportunity to learn, those of you who can swim can take advantage of this great calorie burning workout.
There are many benefits to swimming, particularly for the calorie burn: 750 or more calories per hour. Besides that, it also builds your endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness. It can also be relaxing (from what I've read - I wouldn't know myself.)
It is also low impact compared to other forms of exercise. When immersed to the waist, your body bears just 50% of its weight; immersed to the chest, it's 25%-35%; and to the neck, 10%. [source: WebMD.com]
Here is a good workout for you swimmers out there put together by Stew Smith, C.S.C.S which I found on MensHealth.com:
Time
- 30-45 minutes per session
- Four to five sessions each week
Stroke
- Don't doggie paddle. For a novice, the backstroke is the easiest, then the sidestroke, breast stroke, and freestyle.
Beginner
- Tread water for three minutes, then stretch on a mat outside the pool.
- Swim 10 lengths of 50 meters each. Rest 30 to 45 seconds after each lap.
- "Beginners should try to add 100 or 200 meters every week," says Smith.
Intermediate
- Swim 200 meters (two Olympic-size laps), then stretch out.
- Swim 100 meters, then hop out of the water and do 10 pushups and 20 crunches. Rest for 30 to 45 seconds. Repeat for 10 sets.
- If you usually perform an upper-lower-body split, substitute body weight squats for pushups on leg days.
Do you swim regularly? How do you like it?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I really should get into swimming. It truly is a phenomenal workout, plus it can be a lot of fun. I remember reading about how Michael Phelps needed to intake something ridiculous like 10,000 calories a day to maintain his weight while preparing for the Olympics. So yeah, a buttload is right!
Yes, swimming is indeed an amazing full body workout and great calorie burner if you swim intensely.
However, like any other sport, you have to keep challenging yourself by swimming some laps slower, and some laps faster to keep building the cardio and endurance up.
As a beginner swimmer, I have to laugh at the suggested programme.
A newbie will only be able to swim 3/4 of a length initially.
Suggesting to add 100-200m a week would be only for really talented swimmers.
A good suggestion is the have some lessons to swim properly, so as not to damage your back and shoulder.
Swimming uses almost all of your major muscle groups. It places a vigorous demand on your heart and lungs. Aside from we enjoyed under the water, we also help our body maintain a healthy living lifestyle.
Eartha I couldn’t agree more. Swimming is an incredible workout that I take part in every single day. I started by only beeing able to do 25 hard strokes in a row and now I can swim 2 miles. It’s a full body workout that is also very easy on your joints. I started swimming because my ankles could no longer handle the constant pounding of running any longer. I would recommend swimming to anyone.
wow, i never thought swimming could burn that much calories. but for your to burn the 750 calories/hour, around how many laps is this in a regular lap pool and how much rest time should you have per lap? i used to swim a lot when i was pregnant because they said this is the best exercise since it is low impact and i admit that it is very tiring. but the benefit of it is, it helped me more mobile during the last few months of pregnancy.